It would seem that once I created this blog - with worldly intentions - I couldn't figure out how to get back into it! I tried everything I could think of, but it stubbornly eluded my fingers. It took my daughter awhile to back track and give me - actually WRITE them down - the instructions how to get back into this thing! It better be worth the trouble.
Well, the Tombstone Transcription group continues and is stronger today. There have been some new additions and a few drops. But the most exciting thing since the last post (!) is that I now have a 'transcribing' group too.
I was SO VERY far behind in entering data that I knew I'd never catch up. I would die before those notebooks would get into my computer and uploaded to the internet. When I started this project it was my goal that as many cemeteries as possible would be transcribed, put into a database, entered on the internet and the Special Collections library would have copies. When I am no longer here, these records will stand.
So, I advertised for people that would be willing to work in their home, at their leisure, and enter the data from the notebooks that the Tombstone group had collected. I was overwhelmed by people volunteering! I had two training sessions and initially had 13 people working on them. Now, six months later - told you I didn't know how to access this blog - I have a solid six working almost constantly. The stars are Jackie R., Maggy W., Janice C., Mary K., Teri W., and Barbara B. These wonderful ladies have worked consistently in their homes and have transcribed an amazing 289 cemeteries!! WAY TO GO LADIES! We are down to about 50 notebooks to go and I think these ladies will do just that.
The Tombstone Transcription group continues strong with my core group of Wink, Betty, Gloria, Barbara and Lee as well as my precious husband. He is so game! We all enjoy our time during the winter and summer at Special Collections library. It is almost a 'social' time as well as working. We are comfortable in a room at the library with table and heat or air conditioning. We scribble away, whittling down the books that need to be entered. Even though we enjoy it at the library, we are always looking forward to getting back out on cemetery grounds.
This year (2010) we have been asked to walk and transcribe three Hispanic cemeteries that previously had been off limits to us. They are part of the Atrisco Land Grant and considered privileged property - that is, only heirs to the land grant could access the information. God smiled on us in 2009 when they contacted me and asked if we would consider doing them! Would we? Just wait for warmer weather and we'll be there. Everyone in the group is excited about this as these three have never been written down. No one knows exactly who is buried in them nor how many are buried. Two of the cemeteries are small (less than 200 burials) but one is huge, probably over 5000. It will be challenging.
I worry about what will happen with this project if something happens to me. I think if I was not here/there to drive and guide everyone, everyone would quit. No one is interested in taking a leadership role or interested in how this works. I know Rich wouldn't take it on, and my family has no interest in what I do. So I am sad that this will all come to a screeching halt someday. It will be a tremendous loss of what we have gathered if I don't get it into a format that will last for many years.
I'll be sure to try posting again soon - after all I should know how to get into this thing now!??
